Last Test could not have gone better – Clarke

However, with Root galvanising the middle order and crop of talented players emerging, this team look poised to avoid the pitfalls that have led to previous England Ashes winners soon falling apart. “The boys did as I asked, it was a test of our character and we came through it”.

For England to reach such a pinnacle they will have to win overseas and on pitches that do not offer the swing and seam assistance as those in the Midlands that settled this series.

Michael Clarke has outlined his hopes for Australia’s time of transition after signing off with an emphatic yet consolatory Test win.

“Test cricket is about tempo”.

England’s tinkering worked rather better. It should be pointed out to any Ashes revisionists, though, that it’s not immediately clear quite how Siddle would’ve prevented the 60 all out at Trent Bridge.

“I’d like to see groundsmen around the world – not just here – have the courage to go with what they think is a good cricket wicket”, said Clarke, who was afforded a rare round of applause by reporters.

“You’re given a role, a responsibility, and a job and you want to be able to do your best at that”, Clarke said.

This was his best series in charge and I expect him to still be captain by the time Australia come back over in 2019 to try to win for the first time in 18 years.

Five minutes after play re-started, Siddle bowled Broad (11) and then dismissed Ali to ensure Australia opener Chris Rogers, also retiring after this match, ended his Test career on a winning note as well.

The result will give Australian fans optimism for the future, but will simultaneously reinforce the frustration that comes with the belief this was an Ashes series Australia could have won. At certain moments we’ve had outstanding performances by members of our side.

“For the first four games we were fantastic and we were off the pace in this game. The ones we’ve won we’ve really managed to ram home the advantage quickly”.

Watson showed the value of his years of experience in Test cricket by getting out lbw twice and unsuccessfully reviewing both decisions.

Strauss will announce the list of centrally contracted players next month and Bell has around two weeks to make up his mind.

“It’s pretty sad to be honest”, he said.

It was a sad end to the series for the Ashes victors, who will be delighted to regain The Ashes but disappointed to do so after such a heavy defeat. They are physically and mentally draining.

“Hopefully I have a lot of cricket ahead of me but I’ll take stock over the next few weeks”. “I’ll take stock over the next few weeks”.

Clarke is handing successor Steve Smith a side in transition – Chris Rogers and Ryan Harris have already joined him in retirement this summer and it would be a surprise the likes of Brad Haddin, Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges are all closer to the end than the start.

“Yeah he does [have a big part to play]”, Cook said.